The Mundane Gamer
by NotquiteGood
Summary: A gamer who truly just wants to start over and live life to the fullest. They just want to have fun, and maybe look for other gamers among them. But, for now, they're just satisfied with a new family, friends, and most importantly, a second chance.
1. Chapter 1

Well… I'm dead. I don't really have many regrets, I had a good life, a simple life. But…

I DID NOTHING! I didn't even get to have that much fun! Just study, eat, and die. I took literally no risks, I lived a safe, absolutely boring life. I'm being given one more chance by some random entity.

**/LOW TIER WRITER FLASHBACK OOoOOooooOO\**

_H… he… hey… _**"HEY!"**

I snapped awake so hard I felt like I got whiplash, "WHAT!?" I screamed.

**"Don't give me attitude, I'm just doing my job!"** The random mysterious voice yelled back.

"Okay, Okay, what do you need?"

**"Just stand up, and finally pay attention."** This random voice tells me.

So I jumped up onto my feet real quick, and took a peek around me. And, there was nothing. Literally nothing, just a pale white and an inky black, split right down the middle. Still though, I was alone in this weird plane of existence.

"Okay, I looked, now tell me what's happening."

The odd voice gave off a distorted cough, and deepens their voice.

** "You are one of the one thousand selected from the recently dead who has been selected for our little experiment of human behavior." **

"Okay… really helpful, I'm happy to win anything, but what is happening?" I asked.

**"Slow down, I'm getting to that," it said, "You know that gamer thing? I want to give you the chance to do that, it's absolutely up to you if you want to move onto the afterlife, then we just move to the next person in line."**

"Okay, sure, I have nothing going for me one way or another. Any catch, though?" I asked.

**"You just can't come back, you get a few options when you start."** It responded.

"Got it! Let's get started!" and suddenly, an annoying, somewhat ad-like pop up appeared.

It said that I would start with one hundred dollars and ten stat points in every category

Modest, you were born into an average family you get no advantages or disadvantages

Rich, your parents are rich you get -2 INT, -1 STR, +$100

Poor, you were born into a poor family, you get -$90, +1 AGI, +1 STR

Homeless, you have no home, you get -$100, -3 CHR, -1 CON

Lonely, you have no one, your parents work overseas, you get -1 CHR, +$10

Okay, then. I don't want to choose what I had in my last life, so number one is out of the question…

Let's take a risk! I pushed my finger down on the poor option, nowhere to go but up!

**ARE YOU SURE? Y/N**

I pressed yes and moved on, another screen popped up, all it had on it was a tab for my Name, already filled in, of course. Then, it had a few other tabs, one said stats, one said hair color, and the final said eye color.

If I'm seeing this right, this is character creation. I just chose the simple blue eyes and brown hair, I don't want to stand out too much, now do I? I clicked on the stats option.

_**Name: James Bell**_

_**Age: N/A**_

_**HP: N/A**_

_**SP: N/A**_

_**STR: 11**_

_**CON: 10**_

_**AGI: 11**_

_**DEX: 10**_

_**INT: 10**_

_**CHR: 10  
PER: 10**_

_**Money: $10**_

_**Perk Points: 4**_

** Perk points seems new, while I was thinking and staring at it trying to figure it out, a tab popped up into my vision.**

** You earn perk points by merits of what you have done before you died. The average score is 5-7, and the highest recorded score is 11. These can be used to buy perks which help you advance along in your new life, you may also take disadvantages for more perk points.**

_(I'm not going to buff up my word count with listing all the perks. I'll just show the ones picked)_

**You chose:**

**Impatient +1 perk point**

**You don't handle sitting around for too long well, you always have to be doing something.**

**Quick Learner: -3 perk points**

**You learn things very quickly, and your mind always seems to be a step ahead of the rest**

**+100% experience to INT**

**Cheetah: -2 perk points**

**Grants the skill accelerate at birth**

That seems like a ton! And I'm on the lower end of the perk points spectrum, whoever has eleven of those most be overpowered! Let's see what accelerate is.

'Ability!'

'Accelerate.'

**ERROR YOU DO NOT HAVE A PHYSICAL BODY, ABILITY CANNOT BE USED.**

'**Skills**?'

Another menu opened up, at this rate I'll get used to that in no time.

**Skills:**

**Accelerate LVL1/10 (0% EXP) 0 stamina**

**Your AGI is limited to 50% for a minute**

**After the minute get +50% AGI for two minutes.**

Everything is set, the skill isn't amazing, but it's a huge boost.

**ARE YOU FINISHED? Y/N**

"Yes!" Everything goes dark.

**\FLASHBACK DONE OOOoOoOooO/**

It's been about one to two-ish months, I think. I haven't really gained consciousness, but I can still kind of understand what's happening, which is jarring to say the least. I've been trying to open my menu, but it seems like it's locked almost? There is a rather consistent soothing voice that appears from time to time, but it's muffled, almost like I'm underwater.

One of my eyes opened, and I slowly forced the other one to as well. Everything was blurry, I felt like there was a fog and I was only able to see about a foot in front of me. I was sitting on a wooden floor, it was a bit chilly, but nothing I haven't experienced before. I decided to try calling up my stats one more time.

'**Status!**'

Only my name, health, and stamina showed up.

**Name: James Bell**

**HP: 2/2**

**SP: 1/1**

**Due to accessing the system and straining your eyes, you have lost .5 stamina!**

I was feeling immediately tired, but I managed to keep my eyes open, I need to be able to see before I can really begin to have any fun, so I tried focusing on just one plank, I stared intently at it and tried counting and measuring all the swirls of the wood.

** Skill Gained!**

**Focus LVL1/10 (EXP 0%) 1 stamina**

**You can put your all into something for a short period of time**

**Current Time: 5 minutes**

** You have lost 1 stamina point, you will now sleep.**

After reading that, I promptly passed out for what I assume was the rest of the day.

Whenever I have been waking up, I've been trying to _**Focus**_ on anything I could, it helped me to realize that there were also a few chairs and a really tall table in the room. I used the skill several times, and it hasn't really gotten that far

**Focus LVL1/10 (EXP 20%) 1 stamina**

It would be good progress if that wasn't the progress that I made over the course of two weeks. It was absolutely grueling trying to level it up, and I wasn't able to move for some reason, kind of like the weird suspended animation I was in when I was reincarnated. But, today, something new happened! I decided to use _**Focus **_on my _**Status **_and it actually gave me a bit more information.

**Name: James Bell**

**HP: 3/3**

**SP: 1/1**

**Age: 3 months**

I fell asleep after, but it was so worth it to make some progress, I really have been trying, but nothing seems to be working, this felt like my first step forward in months. When I saw my age, I was quite honestly surprised, I expected to be like twenty or something, I thought I was just captured or like in some alien test tube, it was insane! It was a clue, though, to why my stamina was so low, and as to why my health it basically nothing.

**\TIMESKIP OF 3 MONTHS BB/**

I have been only training _**Focus**_ for these past months, and it leveled up twice! I can now focus on something for 10 minutes! But, at the moment, the next step is a crawl for me. I've been able to squirm around a bit for the past month or so, but my head always just feels so heavy. It's like trying to carry a ten pound rock on with one finger, possible, but extremely difficult, so when I woke up today feeling better than usual, I gave it a try.

I slowly lifted my arms and legs and began crawling, I stumbled way too much for a previously fully grown man, but eventually I was able to do a steady crawl, and the system finally gave me a skill to grind. I remember very vaguely when I was crawling around, I heard laughing and cheering, I recognized the voice, but it seemed more like a warmth, rather than the crowd I was expecting.

** Skill Gained!**

**Crawl LVL1/10 (0% EXP) 1 stamina per minute**

**You can move at 1mph**

I tried cheering out loud, but all I really got was excited gurgling. If crawling was the second step of my journey, then talking would be next, I would grind _**Crawl**_ up as high as possible in about a month, then I'll work on talking, especially since I'll be walking instead of crawling soon enough. Forcing out words wouldn't help, so I'll get started on it when I can finally familiarize myself with my environment.

**\TOO COMMON LINE BREAK/**

I was frustrated, I've been trying to talk for a month! Nothing, I got nothing! My _**Crawl **_skill went up by one, and my pathetic gurgles are still the only static skill in my life. At least I can finally understand what people are saying to me, It's mostly words like 'Mama' or 'Dinner!' but, I'm a firm believer in learning from example, so that might help me in the long run. Those two words are the only ones I've been trying.

I know one time, my father came home and said Hello to me. For some reason, I had an insane urge to cry and crawl away, I resisted it barely, but I still remember the angry frown on his face. Well, whatever, he's not my problem, I tried sticking with my mother, she would pick me up from time to time, but mostly she would hand me off to my older brother, I think he's somewhere around five or six? I can't really tell if he's really that old, or if he just has major baby face. I can't really discern height, because I don't know how tall I really am.

Either way, he was surprisingly caring for such a young kid, tried including me in his games, even tried helping me make a basket at a basketball court he brought me to, all in all, he was an extremely sweet kid. I learnt the word, 'Nice!' from him, well, this new version of me did.

I really did enjoy hanging out with my brother, I even remember him crying when I gave him the only toy I had owned. I tried my best to pat him on the back to make him feel better, but it didn't do much.

I really do think my father tried, but his giant figure made him way too imposing for my small brain to comprehend. If I was to guess based on him next to my mother, he's about a foot or two taller than her, which is quite frankly, insane.

**\Line/**

**Skill Gained!**

**Talking LVL1/10 (EXP 0%)**

**You can form words! This skill helps with pronunciation and forming words from any language**

I DID IT! I said "Dinner!" right out loud!~ my mother was elated, my father wasn't there, and my brother just smiled super wide. I didn't really show much emotion, but I can guarantee you, I was the happiest in that room. Nine months! It took nine months to get a level one skill. Not only did I get talking but I leveled up _**Crawl**_ three more times, it was grueling, but I think my stamina went up! Wait a minute… I haven't checked status in literally months!

'_**Status**_!'

_**Level: 1**_

_**Name: James Bell**_

_**HP: 5/5**_

_**SP: 3/3**_

_**Age: 9 months**_

In the time it took me to be born, it took me to be able to talk, if I ever get chosen for this reincarnation program again, I'm going to give a pretty firm no.

I don't really need to worry about _**Focus **_anymore, until I really need to do well on a test or something, but I can more than worry about _**Talking **_and _**Crawl**_. But, if I'm honest, my balance is getting better by the day, soon I don't think I will even need crawling, so I'm going to talk as much as possible!

'Dinner!'

'Dinner!'

'Dinner!'

**/LINEBREAK\**

It only took my three months to max out _**Talking**_, it wasn't hard once I started learning new words, apparently sentences are worth like quadruple the exp just one word is. Let's just say I'm not going to be one of those kids with a lisp.

**/LINEBREAK 2: ELECTRIC BOGALOO\**

I learnt to walk, I knew this was coming, but it came pretty late, but it was immediately better than my crawling skill.

**Skill Gained!**

**Walk LVL1/10 (0% EXP) 1 stamina per minute**

**You can walk at 2mph**

All I remember is yelling out, "Hell yeah!" and then getting the scolding of my life. My mother kept asking me where I learnt that word, but I just pretended I didn't know how to say how I found it out yet. Either way, I think this will finally let me use _**Acceleration.**_

I started walking and activated_** Acceleration**_, and immediately I felt the difference, it wasn't anything crazy, but I was much slower. There wasn't even a stamina use for this, so I was just able to only spend it on walking, I kept walking and suddenly I tripled the slow speed I was using just a few seconds ago, It was slow for a normal person, but for an infant? I was moving at super speed! I swear, in that small window _**Walk**_ seemed like it gained a ton of exp!

**Due to pushing your new Walk skill to the limit you have lost 3 Stamina!**

Before I could even think to reply, I passed out on the ground. I don't think this abrupt sleep has happened to me since I got here.

** CONGRATULATIONS! You have been given access to all of your status. Enjoy, and Happy Birthday!**

**+Status Screen**

**+1 Loot Box (Uncommon)**

**+Inventory**

First, I get to walk, and now this! My luck is getting better and better, I can't wait to try all this out!

'_**Status!'**_

_** Level: 1 (0/100 EXP)**_

_**Name: James Bell**_

_**Age: One year**_

_**HP: 10.5/10.5 **_

_**SP: 5/5**_

_**STR: 11**_

_**CON: 10**_

_**AGI: 11**_

_**DEX: 10**_

_**INT: 10**_

_**CHR: 10  
PER: 10**_

_**Money: $10**_

Yes, yes, yes! Finally, I can see what's happening, and I got my ten dollars! I opened my new inventory and checked it.

It was a pastel orange tab, with boxes for items all over it, there was a small section above that said 1/22lbs and I had a glowing orange box in there. I could tell at first glance that the glowing box was my 'present' for my birthday. I looked it over, and decided to just open it, while I still had privacy. I clicked on it, and it asked me if I was sure. I pressed _**Yes**_, just like I always do.

A weird transparent prize wheel appeared in front of me, it spun and landed on this odd pair of shoes, I clicked on my prize

**Congratulations! You got an Uncommon Clothing Item!**

**Shrimpy's Shoes +1lbs**

**They will fit to you, until you reach 5 foot 6 inches tall.**

**+1 foot to vertical jump, +1 AGI when wearing**

The vertical jump bit may be good for sports, but I can't really find a use for it, I'm still not sure if I'm living in a magic world or not, considering I have no mana, but my family lives in a wooden house with no electricity, so I don't know what to think. I'll figure it out soon, I guess.

Honestly, my sentences are just getting better and better, despite maxing out _**Talking**_, that really only is pronunciation, I still need to relearn how to speak a sentence on my own, I still remember my first proper sentence.

"Out." I said to my mother.

"Honey, I'm making dinner, I can't leave the kitchen."

"No." I tried to force more out, but it just didn't work.

"You want me to call your brother? You can go play with him." she relented

"No! Outside!" I yelled.

Honestly, I surprised myself, I thought I was pretty much stuck to one syllable sentences, but hey, I guess the more you know.

"Don't yell." she scolded me.

"Yes." I replied.

"Let me call your brother, then you can go outside."

All I did was smile at here and wait patiently for my brother to come downstairs. When he finally arrived, my mom asked him to play with me, and being the nice person I learned he is, he gave a pretty immediate "Sure."

I walked outside ahead of him and activated _**Acceleration, **_he walked slowly behind me, just making sure I didn't go out too far, and we even played a bit of chase. He let me win, I could tell, but that weird pride at winning anything still appeared in my heart. It was nice to win, and I really wanted to get this feeling again, so I played along. I ran around to my heart's content, gaining so much speed when _**Acceleration**_ properly activated.

**Due to running around you have lost 2 stamina! Stamina: ⅖ **

**For running around for so long without tripping, you have gained +1 AGI and +1 DEX**

I smiled and turned toward my brother and started walking. When I finally made it next to him I just told him, "Home." and he seemed to understand. He walked me back inside without a word, gave me a smile and went back to his room. I sat next to my mother, just watching her cook. I tried to follow her movements using _**Focus**_, but she's way too fast for me.

**You have lost 1 stamina! Stamina: ⅕**

I yawned and just waited for food, I still didn't get a chance to try out my new shoes, but I doubt I should wear them until I actually am given a pair of shoes. When food was ready, I was sat down near my brother, and was given my food. I stared intently at the food, making sure not to activate Focus, and on a hunch, I pushed the plate into my inventory to check it.

**Added .2lbs to Inventory!**

**Baby Food**

**+2 Stamina**

**+1 Health**

I knew for a fact that I didn't need to eat everyday, It won't kill me, I'll eat tomorrow. But, for today, I'll just sleep it off. I went to sleep after dinner, and my mother asking my older brother about how school was going for him. I finally figured out he turned six pretty recently, meaning he's in first grade, he didn't really have much to say other than recess was fun.

I went to sleep, very content, I decided I would keep training walking, because it can only help!

**/TIMESKIP BB\**

A lot has happened in these few months, I'm now one year and six months old, nothing crazy, but I leveled up Walking four times and I know Acceleration is extremely close to leveling up. Currently, I was sat on my butt, near a coffee table my mother led me to. It wasn't really anything complex, at least I don't think, I saw paper all over the desk, covered top to bottom in chicken scratch, my mom was really kind and I think she was teaching me to read, which was odd, considering I thought I knew how. We spent nearly three hours just sitting there, I used _**Focus**_ around the end and was able to read my own name on a piece of paper.

**Skill Gained!**

**Reading LVL1/10 (0% EXP)**

**You can read a few words, maybe a sentence if you're lucky.**

Of course, I didn't just get my skills up in this year I also gained a point in INT, STR, and CON. I also managed to gain three points in AGI from my constant running around.

"We'll be trying to write tomorrow, okay, honey?" My mom asked, sounding pretty tired.

"Yeah! I'm ready!" I said.

I almost forgot to mention, I can hold a conversation now, my sentences have gotten more complex, extremely fastly. A few months after I turned one, I moved into my brothers room, I started laying in a bed really close to the ground, it was really comfortable compared to that stiff crib that forced me to stay still. My brother was still as friendly as ever, luckily with the system I didn't have to deal with the torture of needing a potty training skill, so I think I was pretty great for a toddler roomate. I slept soundly through the night, and brother was nice enough to share his very few toys with me.

It made me very happy to be loved. I still had a poor relationship with my father. Even with my new mental fortitude now that I'm out of infancy, he still terrifies me. I worked for months and got my _**Reading**_ skill up to level three and gained and leveled my writing skill to level two.

**Writing LVL2/10 (0% EXP)**

**You write at a kindergarten level.**

"**The cat went home."**

I didn't get any physical stat level ups, they just refused to, I managed to get one in INT for all my studying and three in CHR for talking so much with my new 'roomate.'

I went along my days pretty casually, not many level ups, other than one more in walking. It was a day before I turned two and my mom started talking to me at dinner.

"Do you know what happens tomorrow?" She started.

"No?" I tried to convey the confusion in my voice.

"You're starting preschool! You can make so many friends!" She exclaimed.

Inwardly I sighed, but I tried to play along.

"Really!? That's awesome!" I exclaimed right back.

I have to finally socialize with someone so young that I can't understand them, I guess I can talk to the teacher a bit, I'm going to try to wait until first or second grade until I actually try to have a conversation with any of them, that would be a lot of work especially if they can't keep up.

_**Hey guys, thanks for reading the first chapter of my subpar story!**_

_**I wish I could make it longer, but I can't think of much else to add until James gets into a public environment, at the age he's at he can't even go out into public alone. Well, until next time!**_


	2. Chapter 2

"Come downstairs, James!" My mother called.

I ran down the steps but slowed down when I realized what day it was. The first day of preschool, a bunch of babies sitting around. I was apprehensive of it, to say the least. We started on our short walk to the school after I was fed a quick breakfast.

On the walk I realized just how early I was starting school, maybe I was taking things a bit too fast? My mother seems to be hiding the fact of how early I'm starting to go. Oh God, am I already falling into the genius anime protagonist stereotype? I'm going to have to take it down several notches, besides, background characters get to have more fun.

**For realizing your abnormal growth rate take +1 INT**

The opposite of what I wanted, but I can make this work. I just spaced out for the roughly ten-minute walk and listened to the quiet thumps of footsteps both me and my mother made. We finally reached a door mostly made of glass with the words "Sunset Pre-K" the rest of the text was a bit too advanced for my level, but, hey, Rome wasn't built in a day.

We entered the little building and my mom checked me in.

"I'm going to come back later, okay honey?" I just gave her a curt nod and she smiled.

I followed the other lady into the room, she had that customary retail worker smile, real looking, but not even close to normal. As we got closer and closer I heard laughter and too much giggling, the lady knocked on the door, and we waited.

"I'll be right there!" Said a sweet voice. The door was open by someone with a really similar aura to my mother, warm and inviting. She looked down at me and gave me a quick "Hello, there!" and then we entered the room.

I took a look around best I could, the room was pretty big, much like the class, there were twenty-ish kids, and another teacher sitting down with a book in her lap, reading to them.

I saw a corner with blocks and other mismatched toys strewn throughout the floor, but nothing really seemed too messy. Apparently, the teacher who led me in saw me looking around, "You can join them if you'd like." she said kindly.

I wanted so badly to just tell her, no, but I already stood out due to my age, so I silently walked over to the weird carpet everyone was sitting on, I walked over and sat down quietly. I think we were reading "The Little Engine That Could" I'm not completely sure, it's been a while since I've even heard of the story.

The lady reading closed the book and told us to go play. I didn't even really attempt to talk to the other kids, I just walked over to the tiny bookshelf, I was hoping to find something interesting. It was just an assortment of children's books on the lower part, but I saw one or two glowing books on top of the shelf, roughly four feet out of reach. For now, I just grabbed a children's book and sat down. It wasn't a particularly engaging read, but it was all I could really read clearly at my level, though some words just kind of fazed out of view, almost invisible, but not quite.

I kept reading for a while, an hour at most before another kid walked over, they seemed on the older side, three years old and brunette. He talked with an odd lisp, it wasn't the common mixing of 'r's and 'w's, he just completely slurred random words. Either he doesn't know them, or his tongue is messed up.

"Hello, My n...n...ame is Tommy!" He stuttered out.

"Hello, what do you need?" I replied.

"You want to play Power Ra.., do ya!?" At least I could kind of understand what he meant to say.

"No."

"Why not?" He cried.

"I don't want to." I'm so happy that excuse is acceptable at this age.

"I'm gonna tell the teacher!" He yelled out.

Now, this isn't my first rodeo, I know that they encourage interacting with other kids at this age, "Fine, just don't go yelling." I finally said.

"Yayyy!"

This is exactly what I didn't want, just my luck, I got the whiny, extroverted kid to notice me. I had already been here for a little over an hour, and now I know I'm going to be spending some of my time with this kid, which is a pain. I proceeded to play toys with this kid for two hours, two whole freaking hours! It was such a waste of time, the only reason he finally left me alone is because the teacher called for nap time. Now, sure, I could have slept, but I didn't move around all that much.

** Just go to sleep, -2 Stamina, You have 3.5/5 Stamina left!**

And with that, I laid my head down and went the heck to sleep, it wasn't even that hard to fall asleep, I guess that's what happens when you're running on half energy. I got up pretty early in comparison to the rest of the kids, the only one awake was eating animal crackers, it was that kid. Time to sneak off, no need to attract his attention. I made my way over to the bookshelf again, It's time to get me some glowing books.

I took a sit and thought about it for a moment, weighing my options. I could probably climb the shelf, but I might fall, I could also ask a teacher, but then the kid would notice me, and I can't have that. Then I mentally facepalmed and opened my inventory, I pulled out _**Shrimpy's Shoes **_and equipped them, I got a small running start and flew into the air, far beyond what my underdeveloped muscles could do by themselves, and made a grab for the nearest glowing book. I was able to get a hold of one and just barely not hurl myself into the rest of the bookshelf, I could get the rest when I'm taller, I don't want them to notice them missing.

**You have found The Book of Teaching! Would you like to learn this book? Skill Tokens: 3 Y/N**

Skills tokens? What are those?

**Skill tokens are used for reading skills books, you are given a small amount to learn a skill automatically through absorbing a book, they are a rarity to come by, and often can't be found unless one has committed a truly impressive act.**

And, of course, I get my exposition, very fun. Before I did anything, I decided to at least look through it, I couldn't read a thing, but there's one thing I knew for sure, I'm never going to be a teacher, I'm all in on this final chance, I might be mundane, but I refuse to lead another boring life, so… I threw the book into my inventory.

One by one the kids starting getting up, in the chaos of stopping multiple kids from crying or going back to sleep, I snuck in and pretended to just wake up. We were given our fair share of animal crackers and water, definitely not extravagant, but it was food. I ate everything, roughly fifteen minutes later, I felt like I just got the effects of _**Accelerate **_everything and everyone was moving in slow motion, I wish I put the crackers into my inventory, these things are powerful, that or… I just haven't really had sugar since I've been born, huh… what do you know?

I spent the final two hours or so just reading all of the assortment of children's books they had, I read one or two scary stories they seemed to be saving for Halloween, an entire ABC's book, and three books, most of the books I read were rare to have more than one on the shelf, but those dumb hat-wearing cat books were everywhere, I had to actively look for them, to not pick them there was so many.

I knew for a fact we wouldn't get into learning until about a quarter way through the 'school' year, but that doesn't mean I couldn't waste my time maxing out skills, besides, I miss all those books I used to read, they were something to do, considering my parents weren't fond of electronics, well, my old parents, not these new ones, they just seem to not have any electronics. I'm waiting as patiently as I can for my mom to pick me up, she seemed to be running late. This time, the teacher I met at the beginning of the day walked over to me.

"Hello, again," She said, "did you have fun today?"

Hey, two can play at this game, so I decided to play along, meshing my words together a bit.

"I had swo much fun! It was awesome!" I said in my highest voice.

"Oh my! Well, I'm happy to hear that," She started, "However your mommy is running a bit late, would you like to read a book?" I nodded gratefully.

"Come here." She said.

I made my march over there and plopped down on the carpet from earlier, I noticed I wasn't the only one still there, the kid from earlier, and two girls were also here. They smiled at me and waved, I waved back. The lady started telling us a slightly more advanced tale than the one from earlier, We went from "The Little Engine That Could" to what seemed like a rip-off Harry Potter book, it was short but full of imagination, It definitely wasn't the most engaging story, but it was much more satisfying than those other books.

My mom finally arrived, one of the girls already left, and the others were still sitting there listening intently to the teacher's every word. I just followed my mother out of the room.

"Did you have fun today?" My mom asked.

"Yeah! I learnt so much!" I replied.

"That's good! Are you ready to go tomorrow?"

"Sure!" I replied.

I didn't really mean any of it, but who is it going to hurt if I make her happy? She seemed like she was trying hard to make me happy, so why not? I just tried enjoying my walk home, but something new is happening every day, we got jumped only a few hundred feet from the school. My mother screamed as loud as she could for help, but no one is really out at 7:00 PM, especially on a random sidewalk in the middle of nowhere.

The man didn't utter a word, he stood there for a moment, before pulling out a small knife, it looked janky, it had a handle but the blade looked like it used to on a pocket knife and was just glued to a piece of wood. He stood there threateningly, waiting for us to make a move. When my mom just stood there frozen, he took a few steps forward.

So, naturally, when he got too close, I kicked him in the balls as hard as I could. He fell down like a bag of rocks, my mother picked me up and ran exactly like someone does when their life depends on it. She turned that twenty minute trip into a five minute one easily.

**Congratulations on your first day of school, you unlocked titles! Your first title: Preschooler!**

Just peachy, I get jumped by some shoddy robber and then I don't even get a title like Warrior or Nut Breaker for defeating him? This really isn't fair. While mom is still having a panic attack might as well check out the title.

**Title: Preschooler**

**Your brain is at the peak of development for your entire life, energy consumptions on an all-time high, and you're just beginning schooling **

**+100% INT exp**

**+10% CHR exp**

Wow, a pleasant surprise for once, I can't believe it, that title is actually okay, but I need to start working on my physical abilities a bit more, but I don't know what I can do until it's not suspicious for me to just do workouts, maybe I could find a sport. I can't just find a dumb one like running though, maybe football or even basketball. I just need to find something that works both my arms and legs without looking suspicious, maybe swimming if I wasn't terrified of drowning. Whatever, that's a thought for another day, I'll figure it out later. Right now, I just need water, and to comfort my mother.

"Are you okay, mom?"  
"I'll b..b..be f.f..f..f...fine, honey." She replied, in the shakiest voice I've ever heard on anyone, not in a movie. Pretty obvious she's barely holding it together, but I don't think she wants to explain death to me just yet, so I moved on to my shared room and sat down quietly. My brother was working on his homework quietly and I just went to sleep, without a word.

**/BACK TO TIMESKIPS BABY\**

time" was actually pretty fun, it wasn't anything complicated, they didn't want us to get hurt, so we just played tag, it was really fun actually, apparently, because of the system, I'm way ahead of A month since the incident, we started reading practice and a bit of writing, but the most exciting bits were our hour-long adventures outside every few days, the first day of so-called, "Outside those who are even two years older than me! I was outrunning them so easily, that I was able to use _**Accelerate**_ here and there, and just when they almost got me, ZOOM! I flew away! I even gained a level in CON and AGI!

I lost one stamina and we played a whole bunch of games, like Cops and Robbers, and Duck, duck, goose, I think some of the older kids even got to play Four square. I had the time of my life, last time I had this much fun, I was thirteen and in my last life. Everything was really close to how I always wanted to live my life, happy.

The second time we went outside, we weren't instructed beyond don't leave the playground, so I just starting walking, nothing too intense just a bit of physical activity, I didn't gain any points in AGI or DEX, really. It wasn't as fun as last time, but it was more progress, I finished the day by playing a bit more tag with the other kids, I let them get me a few times this time around.

The third day was really like a free roam, they weren't supervising too closely, so I was able to go to the little bit of greenery trapped in by the fence, it was actually really nice, relaxing, finally being away from everyone, I think I just spammed _**Focus **_until it was time to leave, almost as good as the first day.

Well, those were all the notable times outside, the lessons proved more valuable, _**Reading**_ gained a level in just one month! _**Writing**_ hasn't gained a level, but it is gaining exp steadily. It's nothing notable but everything in my life has been going right, no obvious problems, and I'm finally starting to understand this new life.

I think I'm in a normal world, nothing is too crazy, my house is kind of crappy though, but I doubt thats a cause of some crazy thing like owing money to a mob boss. I think it's just because I chose the Poor lifestyle when I started, I'm actually surprised I'm starting school so early.

**\ANOTHER TIME SKIP BB/**

Life is actually going great, I'm already halfway through my first year of preschool, everything is moving too fast, I have been walking with my mom to school everyday, it's actually pretty fun. But today I think because I have been progressing so fast, I'm going to be taking a test, I think it's an IQ test, but I might just score low on purpose, or I just won't be able to read some questions. Anyway, the minute I sat down I activated _**Focus **_to either fail on purpose or kill it.

It wasn't incredibly complicated but sometimes the words would just blur out, my hand wouldn't write what I was trying to say. There was roughly fifty questions and I know I got at least ten wrong just from the blurry words, but then again, I'm not even two years old yet, so I might have passed with flying colors. I can never know unless I move up to kindergarten early or something.

I left the room and went back to the room, today I figured I could finally steal another book finally, I've been forcing myself to wait for this for a while, so I ran into the bookshelf a bit to loosen a few books, then I leaped, high into the air. I felt two leather books in my hand when I looked over I burnt my eyes with the odd sight of bright yellow light next to a normal book, I stashed the normal book for later, maybe I could grind it for INT.

**You have found The Book of Body Language! Would you like to learn this book? Skill Tokens: 3 Y/N**

Ooo, that sounds good, at least better than teaching, let's do it!

"Yes, please!"

The book got brighter and brighter, it started to feel like it was burning up, and then it popped into bright yellow ashes and was pulled into my body. I felt warm for a minute then I felt like my head was going to explode, it felt like my brain was being pressed with a hot iron, I held in the screams as much as I could, and waited for it to stop.

**You have gained the skill Body Reading!**

**Body Reading LVL1/10 (EXP 0%)**

**You can read the emotions and movements of people through reading their body.**

**5% chance of guessing movement**

**5% chance of guessing emotion**

**You have lost 1 stamina, stamina left: 5/6**

**Due to intense strain on your mind take +2 INT!**

That's cool, but I'm going to go and run off the pain. I activated _**Accelerate**_ and was on my way. It took a second for it to activate but when it did I got a nice message.

**Accelerate has leveled up!**

No pain, no gain, I guess. Moving on, I stopped running before it got weird, I was inside after all. We went through "classes" like we always do, a bit of writing and we read a story. Then, I waited patiently for my mom to show up, she showed up a bit earlier than usual, around 4:00 PM. We rushed home pretty quickly, she's been doing that since the whole robbery encounter, which I guess makes sense, but it's a bit strenuous on my legs. We finally got home and since I was home so early, I decided to pay my brother a quick visit.

"Hey!" I said.

"I'm busy." was all he responded with.

"Well, fine then."

Guess he wasn't willing to talk to me, so I just ate dinner two hours later and went to bed. Nothing crazy, just another few months in the new life of me.


End file.
